Gesa, Author at CanPharma

16/Mar/2022

A group of U.S. scientists from Florida has made another leap forward in terms of the effectiveness of medical cannabis for chronic pain. Analysis of Real World Data showed improvement in anxiety/depression, sleep, and quality of life.

The Florida research team examined data of 46 adults (half of which male/female, average age 55 years) who had started treatment with medical cannabis for chronic pain. A feature of the prospective study: The survey on the factors pain intensity, anxiety/depression, sleep and quality of life took place under so-called real-life conditions, i.e. the patients transmitted their data via smartphone directly from their natural environment to the scientists.

In order to test the effectiveness of the medication, a baseline survey, an EMA (Ecological Momentary Assessment: diagnostic access to the behavior and experience of the subjects) was conducted after one or three weeks, as well as a follow-up survey after three months towards the end of the study.

First effects already visible after a few weeks of therapy

The results are clear: shortly after a few weeks of therapy, the self-reported data showed a significant reduction in momentary pain intensity and a similar increase in daily sleep duration.

After three months, a significant change in the most severe pain as well as in the depressive experience of the patients was observed. In addition, an increase in sleep duration, an improvement in sleep quality, and an increase in quality of life were observed compared to the baseline survey.

Florida is among the fastest growing markets for medical cannabis within the United States.

source:

Wang Y, Jean Jacques J, Li Z, Sibille KT, Cook RL. Health Outcomes among Adults Initiating Medical Cannabis for Chronic Pain: A 3-month Prospective Study Incorporating Ecological Momentary Assessment (EMA). Cannabis. 2021 Oct;4(2):69-83. doi: 10.26828/cannabis/2021.02.006. PMID: 34671723; PMCID: PMC8525881.

02/Mar/2022

Good news for pharmacies and patients: CanPharma GmbH’s medicinal cannabis can now be purchased through pharmaceutical wholesalers.

For the pharmaceutical company, the cooperation with the wholesaler is a step in the right direction: “We are pleased that we are expanding our distribution channels throughout Germany,” says Stefan Jacker, Managing Director of CanPharma GmbH, “this improves the direct availability of our pharmaceutical cannabis varieties and increases the service for pharmacies and patients.”

CanPharma aims to provide seriously ill people with optimal treatment with medicinal cannabis and to supply pharmacies with standardised and high-quality products. A therapy with medicinal cannabis increases the quality of life in many chronic diseases such as cancer or multiple sclerosis.

The company is currently planning to expand its product portfolio – primarily with products with a high CBD content. This will give CanPharma an even broader product range.

23/Feb/2022

The pharmaceutical company CanPharma launched several discount contracts with statutory health insurance funds at the beginning of the year. The contract with the health insurance provider GWQ has been in effect since the beginning of January, and the cooperation with IKK Classic has been in place since February 1st. Further agreements with payers to improve the supply of medical cannabis are already planned. This makes CanPharma one of the first cannabis companies to conclude a discount contract.

According to CanPharma, discount contracts with medical cannabis aim to put the supply of patients with certain cannabis-based medicines on a secure footing and at the same time increase economic efficiency. In addition, the aim is to simplify the time-consuming reimbursement process: Currently, therapy with pharmaceutical cannabis requires approval by the health insurance fund before doctors are allowed to issue the corresponding prescriptions.

Discount agreements are not uncommon for other medicines, but they are new for cannabis-based products. Stefan Jacker, pharmacist and managing director of CanPharma GmbH: “Cannabis-based pharmaceuticals have so far not had the status they deserve in the therapy of seriously ill people. We hope that the new agreements will lead to better acceptance of cannabis and to more trust within the medical profession. The cost-effectiveness of this adjunctive therapy option plays a role in this – and we are actively addressing the issue.” In this context, an existing discount agreement with medicinal cannabis has no effect on the so-called therapeutic sovereignty: “No patient should be switched. What matters to us is that in a cannabis therapy, the products are prescribed that are on the one hand individually tailored to the patient’s therapy needs, and on the other hand economical and of course of the best pharmaceutical quality. The patient’s well-being has the highest priority for CanPharma,” emphasises Stefan Jacker.

The discount contract between CanPharma and IKK Classic covers the prescription of three cannabis extracts. The agreement with GWQ goes a bit further and also provides for the prescription of cannabis flowers. GWQ is a health insurance provider that represents various statutory health insurance funds, such as numerous company health insurance funds.

CanPharma GmbH has already been on the market since July 2020 with various prescription medicines such as medicinal cannabis flowers, and in May 2021 three different cannabis extracts were added.

About CanPharma

CanPharma GmbH is a pharmaceutical company with a wholesale and manufacturing licence and a comprehensive portfolio of medicinal cannabinoid products. We aim to become a leading European pharmaceutical company and to improve the quality of life of patients by providing advanced products. Our manufacturing partners meet the highest pharmaceutical quality standards, the EU GMP/GACP guidelines. CanPharma supplies pharmacies throughout Germany with high quality products and CanPharma supplies pharmacies throughout Germany with high-quality products and educates professionals and patients about the professional use of medicinal cannabis.

16/Feb/2022

In general, they do not have a particularly good reputation: Many amoebae contain bacteria that can cause diseases in humans. A group of researchers from the Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology in Jena has now managed to pull off a trick – they have made the amoeba Dictyostelium discoideum produce a precursor of the active ingredient in cannabis, tetrahydrocannabinol (THC).

Amoebae are single-celled organisms and are capable of producing numerous natural substances. In the case of the genus Dictyostelium discoideum – a slime mould – these are various polyketides that can be used for a whole range of therapeutic applications. These include the cannabinoid precursor olivetolic acid. The principle of action of the single-celled organisms in this respect: they join together to form larger structures that can act like a multicellular organism.

Reactivation of slime mould enzymes

In the course of their research, the Jena working group first found that the slime moulds produced either resveratrol (a secondary plant substance to which, among other things, an anti-inflammatory effect is attributed) or olivetolic acid, depending on the experimental set-up. The catch: the synthesis only works if a special chemical additive is present in the nutrient medium. Beyond that, the amount produced is marginal.

In the next step, the research team developed a way to combine the slime mould enzymes with an enzyme from the hemp plant. A hybrid construct is created that is inserted into the genetic material of Dictyostelium discoideum. As a result, the amoeba directly produces the required precursor – olivetolic acid is thus produced without further additives.

Dictyostelium discoideum acts as a production platform

In the next step, the research team wants to produce the end product THC directly in the amoebae by introducing two more missing enzymes into the single-celled organism. A patent for the biotechnological extraction of the plant substances has already been applied for. It is particularly promising because the chemical extraction of THC in its pure form is very time-consuming, expensive and associated with low yields. Microbes, on the other hand, can be cultivated en masse and thus theoretically produce large quantities of THC in a short time. The production is not dependent on the growth of a plant or the climatic conditions.

Original source:

Reimer C, Kufs JE, Rautschek J, Regestein L, Valiante V, Hillmann F. Engineering the amoeba Dictyostelium discoideum for biosynthesis of a cannabinoid precursor and other polyketides. Nat Biotechnol. 2022 Jan 6. doi: 10.1038/s41587-021-01143-8. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 34992245.

08/Feb/2022

As a pharmaceutical company, the well-being of patients is our top priority. This is also our highest priority in the debate on the legalization of cannabis.

If cannabis is legalized, it is essential that the health of patients is protected and that they continue to have safe access to their medicines and comprehensive information. The high-quality standards of the preparations, the continuous availability of medicines with a stable effect profile as well as the eligibility for reimbursement by the health insurance companies must remain unaffected in order to be able to continue to guarantee patients this therapy option.

It should continue to be ensured that seriously ill patients who are interested in cannabis therapy have access to trained medical counselling and receive detailed information. Counselling by a medical professional as well as in the pharmacy remains an indispensable cornerstone of therapy with medicinal cannabis, even if the plant and its active ingredients are released for recreational use.

We welcome the fact that destigmatisation of cannabis, as a result of legalization and the accompanying information, will make it easier for patients to deal with the subject in their environment. Furthermore, we expect that with the increasing abundance of information, new patients will also have easier access to this new therapy option. As the general acceptance increases and medical cannabis also meets with more trust among doctors and pharmacists, the security of supply for patients increases, as does more detailed information by prescribers.

In order to protect the consumer, we consider it a priority to provide constant information about recreational use. Topics such as the effects of the active substances, possible risks and side effects, dangers of co-medication, addiction potential, effects on the ability to drive and operate heavy machinery and other topics should be known to possible consumers. Consumers should be empowered to make a decision based on sound information. We expect that with legalization, addiction prevention will be promoted and adequately funded.

We welcome the dispensing of cannabis for recreational use at the pharmacy or pharmacy annex. Pharmacists have the necessary expertise to advise consumers on the safe use of cannabis. CanPharma clearly positions itself here as a reliable partner of pharmacies.

CanPharma GmbH and its partner network ensure a stable supply of patients through high-quality products and the continuous education of those affected as well as the further training of specialized personnel. If cannabis is legalized, we see it as our task to ensure the safety of consumers through education and training.

CanPharma News Feed

Reduction of depression, improved sleep, and overall better quality of life – all with the help of medical cannabis

First effects already visible after a few weeks of therapy

Medical cannabis from CanPharma now also available through pharmaceutical wholesalers

CanPharma GmbH concludes discount contracts on medical cannabis

Single-celled organisms: a cannabinoid factory?

Reactivation of slime mould enzymes

Dictyostelium discoideum acts as a production platform

Statement on the planned legalization of recreational cannabis

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